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Saturday, 30 April 2016

A whimbrel day along the Angle peninsula coast

After doing an early morning BBS at Amroth, the coast between Freshwater West and Angle was walked this afternoon. Whimbrels were among the most numerous birds around, with various flocks moving or feeding along the coast.

45 were briefly at Fresh West before moving on westwards/northwards.

These were followed by several small flocks of between 3 and 40+ heading along the Angle peninsula coast, some stopping to rest on the coastal rocks; others fed for short periods on the coastal slope including along-side a small flock of 7 non-breeding choughs at the Pickards. In two or three hours, in excess of 100-150 must have moved through.

A further distant flock of c. 50 was noted flying up onto Gupton farmland, possibly having been disturbed from the dune grassland - there were hundreds of people in the area.

Whilst I walked and noted whimbrels along the coast, Annie noted c. 75 feeding together at Angle Bay plus other scattered groups - in all at least 100 there.

Later on we noted together c. 140 feeding in pasture along-side the Angle road near Broomhill.

We've absolutely no idea how many whimbrels were on the the Angle peninsula today but think that there must have been at least 400+ to 500+ in the area.